Re-enacting the Top Gear Vietnam Special. Anyone done it?
Discussion
Myself and a few friends were discussing how good it would be to basically go to Vietnam, buy some motorbikes and a van, and perform the same journey as the Top Gear crew did (without the train ride). Most of us would be on bikes but we would have one guy in a van carrying the luggage. A couple of the guys are pretty good mechanics so we'd have some spares/tools in the van, and if worst came to the worst and the bike couldn't be fixed by the roadside, just throw it in the van until we find somewhere it can get repaired.
So.........has anyone done this trip? If so, what are the logistics of it? Any recommendations of things to see and do along the way? Places to stay? Etc, etc.........
Thanks!
So.........has anyone done this trip? If so, what are the logistics of it? Any recommendations of things to see and do along the way? Places to stay? Etc, etc.........
Thanks!
Haven't done it myself but met a few people that were doing it when I was out there. There are companies that will rent/sell (can't remember if it's rent and/or sell, but they are easy to find on google to check out) bikes at one end of the country and take/buy it back at the other which is what they were doing. They managed it just on bikes but I think you have the right idea as I can imagine it being much more enjoyable if you don't have to have a huge rucksack while negotiating some of the 'roads' and 'driving' they have out there.
I've done a bit of riding in Vietnam and Laos. Great fun, some awful driving and road surfaces but still fantastic. There is/was a British guy who sells scooters in Ho Chi Minh City and he had plenty of custom from people wanting to do a similar thing.
If you have a search on www.advrider.com/forums you'll find people on there (Brits and others) who've done the trip and posted quite detailed threads about how they got the bikes and survived the journey!
If you have a search on www.advrider.com/forums you'll find people on there (Brits and others) who've done the trip and posted quite detailed threads about how they got the bikes and survived the journey!
I did it last Christmas (HCMC - Hanoi over 1 month) and it was the best thing I have ever done by far.
When it comes to bikes, you can buy them which normally works out better than renting them. You can buy them in HCMC or Hanoi and then sell them at the other end for the same price. I bought my bike for $300 or so (Honda Win 100) and sold it for $350 so that was good. There's always people looking to do the same bike trip in reverse so they're relatively easy to sell at the other end (you can put adverts up on thorntree forum, couchsurfing groups etc before you arrive so that you have a buyer ready when you roll into town).
And don't go with the Minsk. Lots of people like them for the novelty, but they really are s
te compared to the Japanese bikes and parts are hard to get.
As a side note, petrol cost something like $5 for a full days ride which was good.
When it comes to the route, Top Gear went up the main highway on the coast, but to be honest it makes for grim riding. Its one long, really straight highway full of trucks and you just ride up the hard shoulder hour after hour in mad traffic, all the while barely ever within sight of the coast, so ultimately pointless scenery wise.
Instead of that, we took the Ho Chi Minh Highway which goes up the inland mountain regions and it was fking amazing! I mean seriously unbelievably amazing scenery, roads, people, everything (which the coast road doesn't provide apart from a few passes). You are also off the main tourist/transit trail so it feels a lot more adventurous going through much wilder settings. (think going up the Peak District A-roads compared to going up the M1)
This is the route we took http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=208481353407...
(took the train from Dong Ha because I was getting late, but my riding mate carried on up Ho Chi Minh's highway and said it was great)
When it comes to repairs and stuff, I seriously wouldn't bother taking parts. There are garages every 10 mins (little huts by the road that fix anything for $2 pretty much) If there are a few of you going, then one person can always push the other bike by putting his foot on the other bikes footrest and pushing it along slowly. Its easy. Seriously, dont bother with lots of spare parts (providing you go with a normal Honda 100/125 which can be repaired everywhere)... not worth it.
Places to go are Mui Ne, Dalat, Nha Trang (the road between Dalat and Nha Trang is fking unreal!) as well as the rest of the usual tourist towns up the coast.
Getting tired now and I'm just rambling, but ask any more questions if you want. I also lived out there for 6 months, so have an idea of local customs and stuff (such as how they try to rip off foreigners. I'll have a look if I can find my list of spare-part prices that locals pay)
My main piece of advice though which I'll repeat because we met too many dreary faced bikers who did this... don't just do highway 1 up the coast. Seriously, its drudgery and you will hate it after a few days. Its nothing compared to the inland route which is amazing. (although the coast stretch between Danang and Hue is really good because its got the Hai Van pass from Top Gear as well as Hoi An which is nice to visit)
And last thing I just thought of... you're gonna really struggle with getting a van. I'd probably just strap a rucksack onto the back of each bike, much easier.
Edit: Heres the photos from my trip. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.149960722...
Check out some of the river crossings you can get when going inland.
When it comes to bikes, you can buy them which normally works out better than renting them. You can buy them in HCMC or Hanoi and then sell them at the other end for the same price. I bought my bike for $300 or so (Honda Win 100) and sold it for $350 so that was good. There's always people looking to do the same bike trip in reverse so they're relatively easy to sell at the other end (you can put adverts up on thorntree forum, couchsurfing groups etc before you arrive so that you have a buyer ready when you roll into town).
And don't go with the Minsk. Lots of people like them for the novelty, but they really are s
te compared to the Japanese bikes and parts are hard to get.As a side note, petrol cost something like $5 for a full days ride which was good.
When it comes to the route, Top Gear went up the main highway on the coast, but to be honest it makes for grim riding. Its one long, really straight highway full of trucks and you just ride up the hard shoulder hour after hour in mad traffic, all the while barely ever within sight of the coast, so ultimately pointless scenery wise.
Instead of that, we took the Ho Chi Minh Highway which goes up the inland mountain regions and it was f
king amazing! I mean seriously unbelievably amazing scenery, roads, people, everything (which the coast road doesn't provide apart from a few passes). You are also off the main tourist/transit trail so it feels a lot more adventurous going through much wilder settings. (think going up the Peak District A-roads compared to going up the M1)This is the route we took http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=208481353407...
(took the train from Dong Ha because I was getting late, but my riding mate carried on up Ho Chi Minh's highway and said it was great)
When it comes to repairs and stuff, I seriously wouldn't bother taking parts. There are garages every 10 mins (little huts by the road that fix anything for $2 pretty much) If there are a few of you going, then one person can always push the other bike by putting his foot on the other bikes footrest and pushing it along slowly. Its easy. Seriously, dont bother with lots of spare parts (providing you go with a normal Honda 100/125 which can be repaired everywhere)... not worth it.
Places to go are Mui Ne, Dalat, Nha Trang (the road between Dalat and Nha Trang is f
king unreal!) as well as the rest of the usual tourist towns up the coast.Getting tired now and I'm just rambling, but ask any more questions if you want. I also lived out there for 6 months, so have an idea of local customs and stuff (such as how they try to rip off foreigners. I'll have a look if I can find my list of spare-part prices that locals pay)
My main piece of advice though which I'll repeat because we met too many dreary faced bikers who did this... don't just do highway 1 up the coast. Seriously, its drudgery and you will hate it after a few days. Its nothing compared to the inland route which is amazing. (although the coast stretch between Danang and Hue is really good because its got the Hai Van pass from Top Gear as well as Hoi An which is nice to visit)
And last thing I just thought of... you're gonna really struggle with getting a van. I'd probably just strap a rucksack onto the back of each bike, much easier.
Edit: Heres the photos from my trip. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.149960722...
Check out some of the river crossings you can get when going inland.
Edited by Shay HTFC on Wednesday 2nd November 00:48
rsv gone! said:
v15ben said:
I'm officially really, really jealous now!
I've always wanted to do that and head onwards into Laos
Same here. I went to Vietnam in 2003 and it is the most beautiful place I have ever been. I'd love to have explored further than just Hanoi and Halong Bay.I've always wanted to do that and head onwards into Laos
Hello all,
Well we arrived in Hanoi this afternoon.
It really is "wall to wall" scooters and motorbikes.
Picking up the 2 x Honda's tomorrow will be a real challenge.
Of to Hai Phong, for a few days, which is Ha Long Bay, then head south.
Seriously, the 2 wheel traffic is beyond comprehension.
vette
Well we arrived in Hanoi this afternoon.
It really is "wall to wall" scooters and motorbikes.
Picking up the 2 x Honda's tomorrow will be a real challenge.
Of to Hai Phong, for a few days, which is Ha Long Bay, then head south.
Seriously, the 2 wheel traffic is beyond comprehension.
vette
uk_vette said:
Hello all,
Well we arrived in Hanoi this afternoon.
It really is "wall to wall" scooters and motorbikes.
Picking up the 2 x Honda's tomorrow will be a real challenge.
Of to Hai Phong, for a few days, which is Ha Long Bay, then head south.
Seriously, the 2 wheel traffic is beyond comprehension.
vette
Sounds fantastic. Stay safe dude!!Well we arrived in Hanoi this afternoon.
It really is "wall to wall" scooters and motorbikes.
Picking up the 2 x Honda's tomorrow will be a real challenge.
Of to Hai Phong, for a few days, which is Ha Long Bay, then head south.
Seriously, the 2 wheel traffic is beyond comprehension.
vette
Just saw this vid and thought it might be relevant in this thread... http://vimeo.com/32958521 . Insane!
Shay HTFC said:
Just saw this vid and thought it might be relevant in this thread... http://vimeo.com/32958521 . Insane!
Thats an amazing Video!Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff